A Disparity of Words
A little 1st century clamoring of "fake news."
Pilate will exit stage left in a moment, but not before inserting one more tyrannical jab at the whole situation. Pilate is neither for nor really against the Jewish leaders or Jesus. We’ve seen him play both sides. This is what political power does. It sends out probing roots deep into culture and society, searching for fertile space wherein favor and benefit can be sapped up.
All the while, that political power is so good at making sides, sometimes preferring this one, sometimes that one, depending on how the winds of favor are shifting at the moment.
In this final appearance, Pilate knows the deed is as good as done. Jesus will die. So he slaps a sign on the cross —
Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews
It was a warning to all: this is what Rome does to kings. Pilate’s not stupid. He knows that Jesus is not the king the Jewish leaders wanted. So it’s a slap on their wrist, too.
So they complain to Pilate about the erroneous label, as if they actually thought he cared about what they thought.
He didn’t.
The joke’s on all of them though, isn’t it?
Jesus is the king.
The sign meant to shame, intimidate, and mock becomes—by gospel irony—the truest proclamation ever nailed to wood.
John 19:18-22
That’s where they crucified him—and two others with him, one on each side and Jesus in the middle. Pilate had a public notice written and posted on the cross. It read “Jesus the Nazarene, the king of the Jews.” Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city and it was written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek. Therefore, the Jewish chief priests complained to Pilate, “Don’t write, ‘The king of the Jews’ but ‘This man said, “I am the king of the Jews.”’”
Pilate answered, “What I’ve written, I’ve written.”
Psalm 2:1-2, 4, 6
Why do the nations rant? Why do the peoples rave uselessly?
The earth’s rulers take their stand; the leaders scheme together against the Lord and against his anointed one...
But the one who rules in heaven laughs; my Lord makes fun of them…
“I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.”
Prayer
God,
They thought the sign was a joke. They didn’t know they were naming the truth. Help us not miss it today—in the noise, in the spin, in the labels meant to wound. Let your kingship stand, even when the world around has no clue what it means.
Let it reign in us.
By your Spirit & in Christ,
Amen.